Have you seen the new bicycle/pedestrian bridge at Knoch Knolls Park? It’s a beautiful, amber-colored, arched bridge that is designed to be accessible to all. Spanning the West Branch of the DuPage River, the bridge is part of Segment 4 of the DuPage River Trail, constructed by the City of Naperville, which will be open to the public later this year. 
On the new bridge: Jim Strong, Joanne Knoch Strong, Jean Knoch Wehrli, Francie Wehrli Chirico, Joe Kennedy,
Mary Lou Wehrli, Annette Wehrli Kennedy, Michelle Wehrli, Grant Wehrli
First bridge on "The Farm;" man on the left is unidentified, man on the right is Judge Win Knoch
The new trail and bridge will wind through the wooded acres of Knoch Knolls Park, ending at DuPage River Sports Complex at the corner of Washington Street and Royce Road. From that point, another segment of the trail, just completed by the Naperville Park District, continues through DuPage River Park going east to Whalon Lake Preserve.
Once Segment 4 is complete, along with the new bicycle tunnel at Washington Street and 75th Street, bicyclists will be able to ride from Burr Oak Park all the way to Whalon Lake Preserve on Royce Road on off-road trails.
This is wonderful news for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and those who enjoy the outdoors.
The new trails and bridge also will reveal more of the beauty of Knoch Knolls Park, which has been treasured by Naperville families for over 150 years.
Did you know....
Knoch Knolls Park originally was inhabited by the Potawatomi, and then, after settlement, was purchased by Stephen J. Scott. A plaque on site commemorates the Scott Settlement.
Plaque commemorating Scott Settlement and Knoch donation
In 1934 the Fauth family of Aurora acquired the property. One of the Fauth’s daughters, Irene, married Win Knoch. The Knoch family owned the land until the late 1970s, when they transferred a large portion of the property to the Naperville Park District and generously donated the 13-acre Scott Settlement site to be enjoyed by the community.
"The Farm"
There are many descendants of Win and Irene Knoch living in the Naperville area today, including a branch of the well-known Wehrli family. To speak about their memories of Knoch Knolls Park, which they affectionately call “The Farm,” makes them smile. “We love to come to The Farm,” said Annette Wehrli Kennedy, granddaughter of Judge Knoch. “It always makes me happy to be in this place, and to think about the memories we have here.”
Knoch Knolls was farmed for many years by Frank Molitor in partnership with the Knochs. The Molitor family lived in a house across from the farm on the north side of Knoch Knolls Road. A pig shed and corn crib stood where the Wigwam building is now, and a 2-story dairy barn was located on the west side of the gravel entrance. Crops included corn, soybeans, vegetables, and at one time, a Victory Garden. Dairy cows grazed in the woods and fields, bordered by an electric fence that the children sometimes dared one another to touch.
The Knoch family lived on Main Street in Naperville. Much of the family’s time was spent at The Farm often including friends and colleagues and extended family. Eighth grade class parties were a big favorite as were Knoch Thanksgivings.
Some of the Knoch grandchildren, now adults, including Mary Lou Wehrli, Francie Chirico, Annette Wehrli Kennedy, and Grant Wehrli, met at the new bridge for a photo in late June 2010. Also joining the group were 2 of the 4 Knoch daughters, Jean Knoch Wehrli and Joanne Knoch Strong, and a great-grandchild, Joe Kennedy.
Two of Judge Win and Irene Knoch's four daughters, Joanne and Jean. Not pictured here are Marge Knoch Schaller and Doris Knoch Wood.
The Wigwam
The Knoch family clarified that the first Wigwam was not the building at the park entrance that now houses the Park District’s early childhood programs, but was a farm shed, located across the river, enhanced with a fireplace, large windows, kitchen, indoor plumbing, and banquet tables. The Wigwam did not stand alone, but was part of a wonderful family gathering area that included a cottage, a 2-story playhouse with a balcony, a large, outdoor fireplace, a shuffleboard court, a baseball field, and a golf net. There was a pump house for the well , a 2-seater outhouse, and a more rustic machine shed for storage.
The children loved the playhouse, but also enjoyed exploring the woods and the river. Grant Wehrli recalls duck hunting and building forts and dams on “Treasure Island,” a small island downstream ,created for a sawmill active from 1836 the late 1840s. Grant's father, Don Wehrli, used to give the kids rides in his Ford tractor, thrilling them by lowering them in the front bucket almost to the river. Grant also remembers riding on his father’s lap when the tractor was used for mowing, and listening to the deafening sound of the cicadas in the woods.
A community treasure
Although the original farm is no longer in operation and the old buildings and bridges have disappeared, the unspoiled beauty of the land remains, thanks to the foresight and generosity of Judge Win G. Knoch and his wife, Irene. Knoch Knolls Park is open for all to enjoy, and will soon be even more accessible with the opening of the new bridge and bike trail.
Remains of the original Wigwam at Knoch Knolls Park
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